HMCS MATAPEDIA (K112)

The History of the MATAPEDIA

Commissioned at Quebec City on May 9, 1941, Matapedia arrived at Halifax on May 24. She was assigned to Sydney Force as a local escort until late September, when she was transferred to Newfoundland Command for ocean escort work between St. John's and Iceland. On her first trip, she left Sydney on September 29 for Iceland with convoy SC.47. After three round trips she left St. John's on February 6, 1942, with SC.68 for Londonderry, returning in March with ON.70. It was to her only trip to the U.K., as she joined WLEF on her return and, with the exception of a stint with Gaspé Force from November to December, 1944, remained with WLEF until the end of the war. She underwent a major refit at Pictou from May 8, 1943, she was rammed amidships in a thick fog off Sambro Lightship by SS Scorton, and seriously damaged. After temporary repairs at Dartmouth from September 10 to October 12, she was towed to Liverpool, N.S., for full repairs and refit, including fo'c's'le extension. This was completed early in February, 1944, and a month later she proceeded to Bermuda for two weeks' workups, on her return joining EG W-4 for the balance of the war. She underwent one further major refit from February 15 to April 28, 1945, at Halifax, again followed by workups in Bermuda, but the war was over now and she was paid off at Sorel on June 16. Matapedia was broken up at Hamilton in 1950.